Friday
Spencer arrived at Paradise Valley to see a less than fruitful meeting between Dan and Thomas ending. She smirked as she passed Rainwater, beyond pleased with how pissed off the man looked. Dan waved her in, him and his team walking out to the terrace just off the conference room. Spencer scanned over the paperwork quickly as she walked past, trying to retain any important information she could.
"What do you know about Rainwater?" Dan asked Spencer as she joined the group outside.
She scoffed, "You're going into business with a man you don't even know? I thought you were supposed to be a good businessman Dan."
Dan turned fully to the girl, less than displeased with her answer. "What do you know."
"He's just as shady as every politician you'll meet in Montana," Spencer started. "If you give him the hope of an inch, he'll take you for the whole acre. His only goal is to take my father's land, and you happen to be an easy target."
Dan's colleagues looked shocked at the honesty coming from Spencer, especially with her connection to both Rainwater and John. However, her bluntness only made Dan laugh.
"And what would you do if you were me?"
Spencer pondered for a moment. "Honestly? I'd take Thomas Rainwater for all he's worth. As much as he wants to help his people, the only thing he's going to do is make their lives' so much harder. He's poisoning his home with his own hatred for my father. And for once I can actually say the only thing my father did was be there."
Dan nodded, as if truly considering Spencer's words. If he was, she wasn't sure. He raised his hand, dismissing his lawyers like a king, leaving only Spencer and himself on the terrace.
"How would you feel if I asked you to take a look into Mr. Rainwater's interests, as well as your father's?" he asked as he motioned for Spencer to sit.
"You're serious?" she questioned. The last thing she wanted, or needed for that matter, was to be playing double agent.
"Very. I trust your opinion Spencer. You chose to speak the truth in an instance many wouldn't, that's the kind of people I want surrounding me. Helping me." Dan began to ramble on. "I'd give you something, of course, in exchange for your help. Whatever it is you want."
It was then that Spencer realized how dangerous of a situation she was in. Stepping into a role of power gifted to her by the likes of Jenkins and Rainwater would do nothing but help their initiative. But Rainwater was the one with the brains, Dan was clueless. He couldn't be able to give Spencer enough for the grief she would go through. Shortest stint as political candidate ever, she chuckled at her internal monologue.
"The only thing I want is to protect my home." Spencer straightened as she spoke, pulling her strength from within. "And I thought sitting here, helping you and Rainwater, I thought that would help. But you two are so stuck in your own little game, you'll destroy yourselves before I lift a finger. You want some advice, Dan? Go home. Sell the land to me and go back to California. This war you think you're fighting, you're going to lose because you can't see what everyone else sees. Shit, it took Rainwater less than a minute to realize I've been lying to you for months."
Dan's face morphed from confusion to shock, from shock to rage. "You lied?"
"Dan, the only thing I didn't lie about was my name. Granted anyone with half a brain in this valley knows exactly who the fuck I am." Spencer smirked as she stood from her seat. "Don't worry, I'll save you the trouble of figuring it out. I'm the girl that's gonna burn your paradise to the ground. If you're smart, you'll leave before that happens. But I will take you and Rainwater for everything you're worth. Because I'm not like my sister, I don't bend the rules to my will. I break them, just like I'll break you."
Spencer stood aggressively from her seat, smirking at the shocked looks of Jenkin's legal team. As she walked away, she turned back at the door, "Oh and don't worry about having to fire me, I quit!"
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John hadn't been expecting to see his daughter so soon. He knew he had hurt her when he told her about giving the ranch to Kayce, but it didn't seem like he had another choice. But the sight of Spencer's pale blue truck pulling down the driveway gave him hope. The slamming of her door and the angry expression on her face, however, did not.
"Everything okay Tiny?" he hollered down from the porch as she stomped up the stairs.
She sent her father a hard glare. "I quit at Paradise. Jenkins wanted me to spy on you and Rainwater. You're also running unopposed again."
John didn't get to ask any further questions because the door was slammed shut promptly after. He sent a look to Beth, who Spencer had clearly missed on her run inside. The pair hustled in after the young redhead, finding her drinking bourbon straight from the decanter.
"What the hell happened?" Beth asked as Spencer finally put the glassware down.
Spencer huffed, looking them both dead in the eye before repeating. Jenkins wanted me to move home and spy on Daddy and somehow keep tabs on Rainwater for him. So I essentially told him I'm gonna give him hell by any means necessary and then I quit."
She shrugged, finally opting to pour the bourbon into a glass to chug.
"Well okay then," Beth smirked, clinking her glass against her sisters before turning to leave. "Cheers to that."
John stared at his daughter as she looked out the window. It was easy to see the hurt on her face, the fire she was trying to keep within. And so he sat across from her, pulling her attention from the window to stare back.
"You did good Spencer," he patted her knee as he spoke. "Don't you think for one second you didn't. I'm proud of you, and I'm sorry."
A single tear fell down Spencer's cheek. She wasn't sure if she was upset with herself, her father, Kayce, the world. But it suddenly felt like everything was closing in on her and she couldn't take it anymore.
"What can I do?" she whispered, "H-how can I help?"
John shifted in his seat, unsure of what to say. "Why don't you come with me to the doctor's. You can drive me back once you sobered up."
"You sure?"
"I could use the company."
Spencer nodded, rubbing her hands across her face to wipe away the evidence of her sadness. It wasn't often she cried, but it felt like she was crying more these days than ever before. John wrapped his arm around his daughter, the closest thing he gave to a hug anymore, as he pressed a kiss to the top of Spencer's head.
The drive to the hospital was silent, the only noise coming from the radio and the rumbling of the road.
"I hate that new hand," Spencer mentioned as they walked into the hospital.
"Who Walker?"
Spencer only grunted at her father.
"There's always a piece of work when we bring them in, Tiny."
"It's like he learned to cowboy from a movie, ain't no working with that Daddy."
John shook with laughter as he watched Spencer furrow her brow deeper. Always one to speak her mind, just like the rest of the women in the Dutton family. She promised to wait and keep to herself as John was called back, the doctor surprised to actually see one of the kids there. Spencer merely stared out the waiting room window, watching the nurses and doctors hustle about their work. It felt like hours of sitting and watching, in reality it had only been a half hour.
"Ready kiddo?" John asked, breaking Spencer from her daze. She jolted as if he had thrown cold water on her. She stood, shaking her head quickly as she followed her father.
It was then that the pair came across Tate, and Spencer realized something was very wrong. Tate took them to his mother's room, wandering over to Monica as Spencer stood outside the door and John talked with the doctor.
"Hey Spence," Kayce greeted, smiling sadly at his sister. She turned, looking him dead in the eye before walking out of the room. "What did I do now?"
"Go talk to her," Monica encouraged, "It's not like I can go anywhere."
Kayce nodded, pushing through his father to chase Spencer down. "Spence!"
Spencer whipped around, hair snapping around with her. "What."
"What's wrong?"
Spencer scoffed, "You're a piece of fucking work Kayce, you know that? You leave, for years. I cover for you, for years. I work my ass off at that ranch and you think you can fucking show up and just take it?"
"It's the only thing I can give Tate-"
"No you wanna know what you can give him? A better fucking life! You want the ranch, fine, take it," Spencer's anger grew as she shoved her brother. "But first how about you stop killing all your fucking problems. How about you actually act like a man, like a fucking father. You ran away because you didn't want to be Dad. Well guess what, you became him all on your fucking own."
Kayce stood there, mouth gaping as he struggled to find something to say.
"What? All out of hot air now?" Spencer shot at her brother, "You may be my brother, but you are nothing but a fucking burden to me now. I hope one day you get your shit together. For Monica's sake, for Tate's sake, and for your own."
Spencer stopped herself from saying anything else as she saw Tate walk out with John in tow. She spun around, storming off after her father and leaving her brother in the dust. Kayce walked back into the room, bewilderment still clear on his face.
"You surround yourself with strong women Kayce, it's no surprise they'll fight you back," Felix chuckled as he stood. "I'm going for coffee, you want anything?"
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Spencer could feel the incessant buzzing of her phone in her pocket as she pulled up the driveway. As soon as the truck was in park she whipped the phone out, seeing an incoming call from Sawyer.
"You quit!" The blonde's voice rang loudly through the phone.
"Well, to be fair, he was going to fire me," Spencer tried to soothe her friend.
"Well what the hell am I supposed to do now!"
"It's your job, do what you want," Spencer shrugged as she spoke. "But I do know that Ryan is hanging out in the bunkhouse tonight."
The line went silent for a moment, Sawyer bustling around. "I'll be there in thirty."
"That's my girl," Spencer laughed as she hung up the phone. She made her way down to the bunkhouse, hearing the hooting and hollering over Walker's guitar already. "Boys."
The house went quiet for a moment, unsure of what version of Spencer would be walking through the door. She nodded her head at Lloyd, throwing her hand up. He smiled, chucking a bottle of beer at her, commencing the rowdiness all over again.
It was only a little while later that Tate and Beth joined, something about feeding the kid but Spencer paid no mind. She was doing her best to keep her spirits up all on her own, seeing as Rip was nowhere to be found. Sawyer joined soon after that, cozying up to Ryan almost immediately which sent a round of jokes at the cowboy.
Unbeknownst to those in the bunkhouse, Rip was walking back, fear and panic setting in over the events on the mountain. It took everything in him to not yell as soon as he walked through the door, but he was glad he didn't. Spencer was dancing around the room, holding Tate in her arms as she and Sawyer sang along to whatever song Walker had been playing. Rip wasn't sure, it was like everything had faded away around him, the only thing he could process was his girl. It was the happiest he had seen her since Lee died, and it damn near took his breath away.
"Rip!" Spencer gasped as she looked up from setting Tate down. "Everything alright?"
He stood for a moment, his smile growing as she walked closer. He forgot what he had even been worried about. "Everything's perfect Darlin'."
Spencer smiled, leaning up to press a kiss to his lips, starting the hollering of the boys once again. "Dance with me handsome?"
"Always."